Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Schefflera arboricola cultivar PVN III.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Schefflera plant, botanically known as Schefflera arboricola, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98PVN IIIxe2x80x99.
The new Schefflera was discovered on Mar. 21, 1996 by the Inventors in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla., as a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Schefflera arboricola cultivar PVN I, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,955. The cultivar PVN III was selected by the Inventors on the basis of its unique foliage variegation.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in Apopka, Fla., since Mar. 21, 1996, has shown that the unique features of this new Schefflera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar PVN III have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98PVN IIIxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98PVN IIIxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
2. Short internodes and freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.
3. Glossy dark green and creamy white variegated leaves.
Plants of the new Schefflera are similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar PVN I, in plant and growth habit, however plants of the new Schefflera differ primarily from plants of the cultivar PVN I in foliage coloration as plants of the cultivar PVN I have solid green-colored leaves.
Plants of the new Schefflera can be compared to plants of the cultivar PVN II Variegated, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,831. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Apopka, Fla., plants of the new Schefflera differed from plants of the cultivar PVN II Variegated in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Schefflera had flatter leaves than plants of the cultivar PVN II Variegated.
2. Plants of the new Schefflera had dark green and creamy white variegated foliage whereas plants of the cultivar PVN II had green and yellow green variegated foliage.